"In the first 9 months of this (Iranian) year, 26,500 kg of different types of narcotics were discovered and seized in West Azarbaijan," West Azarbaijan's Police Chief Yahya Sharafi told FNA on Monday.
He added that police forces also disbanded 80 drug-trafficking rings throughout the province during the said period.
Last month, Commander of the anti-narcotics squad of Iran's Law Enforcement Police General Ali Moayyedi said Iranian police forces have seized a total volume of 355 tons of narcotic in 9 months of countrywide operations.
"During the first 9 months of the current (Iranian) year (March 20 - December 20) a sum of 355 tons of narcotics have been discovered and seized," Moayyedi said in a press conference here in Tehran at the time, adding that the figures show an 8% increase compared with the same period last year.
He said the seizure included 270 tons of opium, 37 tons of hashish, 6 tons of heroin, 2.5 tons of morphine and 40 tons of other narcotics.
The commander said police have increased counternarcotics operations by 50% this year and disbanded 1,700 rings involved in drug trafficking activities.
According to the UNODC, these days, 93% of the world's opium is produced in the neighboring Afghanistan, 60% of which is destined for the EU and specially US markets. And the main transit route is Iran, where the country's dedicated police squad risk their lives to make the most discoveries of drug cargoes, disband drug-trafficking gangs and organizations and much more in a bid to rescue not only the Iranian youth but also all those living in Europe and the US.
According to the statistical figures released by the UN, Iran ranks first among the world countries in preventing entry of drugs and decreasing demand for narcotics.
The United Nations credits Iran with the seizure of 89% of the opium netted around the world.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iranian police have lost more than 3700 of their personnel in the country's combat against narcotics.
